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Coley McDonough

1915 – 1965

American football player

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About Coley McDonough

Lived 1915 – 1965 (aged 49). Coley McDonough was an American american football player.

Coleman Regis "Coley" McDonough (October 10, 1915 – July 5, 1965) was a professional American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played four seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals.

Formative years A native of North Braddock, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, McDonough graduated from St. Thomas High School. In 1944, he also played for "Card-Pitt", a team that was the result of a temporary merger between the Cardinals and the Steelers. The teams' merger was result of the staffing shortages experienced league-wide due to World War II. Six days before the team's second game of the season, McDonough was drafted into the United States Army.

Police career and death Coley later became a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania police officer, and served fifteen years with that department. Coley's badge number was 405.

On July 5, 1965, he was shot and killed in the line of duty, when he and two other officers answered a domestic disturbance call. Leroy Scott, aged twenty-five, had gone to the Godfrey residence after midnight on July 5 to see his sixteen-year old girlfriend, Linda Godfrey, whom he had been barred from seeing. When her father, Aaron, intervened, an argument ensued and police were called to the scene. When police responded, Scott shot McDonough. Two other officers were injured. Aaron Godfrey was also killed, shot mistakenly by police. Scott fled and committed suicide in a nearby field.

McDonough's son and namesake, Coleman McDonough, went on to serve as a lieutenant colonel with the Pennsylvania State Police (1983–2008) and later became chief of the Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania Police Department (2009–2015) and superintendent of the Allegheny County Police Department (2016–2021).

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
North Carolina State University
Also known as
Coleman Regis McDonough

People in Coley McDonough's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Coley McDonough's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Coley McDonough?

American football player (1915-1965)

When was Coley McDonough born?

Coley McDonough was born on 10 October 1915 in North Braddock.

When did Coley McDonough die?

Coley McDonough died on 5 July 1965 in Pittsburgh.

What was Coley McDonough's occupation?

Coley McDonough was an american football player.

What nationality was Coley McDonough?

Coley McDonough was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Coley McDonough

· Wikidata: Q5144729

· DBpedia: Coley McDonough

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Coley McDonough. https://biography.guide/coley-mcdonough/

MLA: "Coley McDonough." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/coley-mcdonough/.

Chicago: "Coley McDonough." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/coley-mcdonough/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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